ACW
by Raberba girl
Summary: They've both wandered through darkness. It does make it much easier to bear when you're not alone. Platonic Axel/Alice.


Shadowless Princesses: A Curious Warmth

A Kingdom Hearts fanfic by Raberba girl

_Dedicated to Kiryn, because now I want to do all seven. XD_

Summary: They've both wandered through darkness. It does make it much easier to bear when you're not alone. Platonic Axel/Alice.

A/N: This is just a one-shot for now, I won't turn it into a series unless I get ideas for more Axel/Alice stories. "A Curious Warmth" refers to the strange feeling in Axel's chest when he somehow manages to experience emotions even though he's not supposed to have a heart.

**I've developed a running joke in my fics that wherever Axel goes, he keeps finding adorable children who can make him do whatever they want by giving him puppy eyes.** (The silly thing is that the fic where that _became_ a running joke [one of the CatC sequels, ftr] hasn't even been finished or published yet.)

As usual, there might be chronology problems, because that's the one thing I just...don't pay attention to. *sweatdrop*

o.o.o

She sat there in the dark, weeping, overcome by loneliness and despair, because she knew that she was never going to find her way home. "Why...why, why, _why_ do I never listen to my own good advice...?"

A man's voice startled her. "Con-spi-ra-cy."

Alice gasped and raised her head. Before her stood someone in a long black coat with outlandish crimson hair, crossed arms, and a sulky look on his face.

"Yup, there they are, all huge and blue and swimming and kicking me in the chest where I'm starting to think my heart left some pieces behind."

"Who are you?" Alice gasped. Then she frowned. "And what on earth are you talking about?"

"Oh, the universe just has it in for me, that's all." He sat down on the ground beside her and handed over a strange little packet.

"What's this?" she asked.

"Disposable handkerchiefs. Go on, blow your nose and dry your eyes."

Uncertainly, Alice drew out an airy white sheet and applied it to her face. "I'm sorry...it's just that I've been wandering in this strange wonderland for ever so long, and at first it was quite fascinating, but I'm ready to go home now. Unfortunately, the path...it, well, it's vanished, and I...I don't know how I'll ever find my way home now."

"I see. Well, that's really too bad. But you know, I'm sure your folks are _thinking of you, wherever you are. We pray for our sorrows to end, and hope that our hearts will blend. Now I will step forward to realize this wish. And who knows: starting a new journey may not be so hard, or maybe it has already begun. There are many worlds, but they share the same sky - one sky, one destiny._"

Alice stared at him in surprise and appreciation. "Oh, that was lovely!"

"Don't be impressed, I was just quoting."

"You mean reciting? Well, I must say, I like it much better than the other nonsense I've heard in this place."

"_The sun was shining on the sea, shining with all his might,_" he said softly. "_He did his very best to make the billows smooth and bright - and this was odd_-"

"-_because it was the middle of the night_!" Alice finished eagerly. "Yes, yes, exactly! And other such things. The people here are all so very strange. Except you, I mean." She paused and studied the man beside her. With his sinister outfit and outrageous hair and the unsettling marks on his cheeks, he was, admittedly, rather strange himself. Yet there was something different about him, all the same. He seemed out of place here. "Pardon me, but what did you say your name was?" she asked.

"I'm Axel."

"My name is Alice," she said warmly. "How do you do?"

"Could be better. Tired, can't find my target, gonna miss today's ice cream, and I accidentally wasted my Hi-Ether when I was trying to reach a Limit Recharge, so now I'm out of casts."

"Oh," she said, taken aback. "I see."

Axel suddenly tilted his head back and smiled at her, finally meeting her eyes again. "What about you, princess? You feeling better?"

"Oh! Please, just call me Alice. But, yes, it makes quite a difference to have some company."

"Wandering alone in the dark isn't fun," he murmured.

"No, it isn't," she agreed fervently.

That made him laugh for some reason. "So weird that you, of all people, would know what it feels like." Then he shook his head. "Nah, you've only had a taste. Someone like you couldn't possibly know what it's like for real."

She found herself wanting very much to make him feel better. "Axel? Would you like me to sing to you?"

"Would I- _Huh_?"

"I find that a bright song always cheers me up," she explained. "Here, I know one that goes like this: _When you get in trouble and you don't know right from wrong, give a little whistle...!_"

His laugh had an incredulous ring to it, but after that, he just sat there at her feet and listened quietly. Alice was not sure at first whether her idea had helped or not.

A little later, however, when they parted ways at the entrance to the hedge maze, he was smiling, and there was a sparkle in his eyes. _'I'm glad,'_ she thought. _'It seems as if music does do a person's heart good after all.'_

o.o.o

Author's Notes: Axel was quoting Kairi's letter to Sora in KH2, the text of which also somehow appeared in KH1's opening credits. Unless you're willing to make up some complicated explanations, that letter is mostly where this fic's chronology issues come in. Other quotes were from Lewis Carroll's "The Walrus and the Carpenter" and the song "Give A Little Whistle" from Disney's _Pinocchio_ movie.

Yeeaaahhh, so Kiryn got me into Terra/Cinderella and also intrigued me with the thought of Demyx/Kairi, Saïx/Jasmine, and Ven/SnowWhite (I think Bond Of Flame08 shares the blame for some of those, too). So I started writing the _Dream Waltz_ theme challenge for Terrella and idly jotted down _Eyes Like A Tiger's_ for SaiJaz, thinking to eventually turn it into a series. Thanks for that review, K, because now I want a complete set. XD It's solely for experimental purposes, because I like to challenge myself.

Oh, and K. If I do manage to churn out all of them, there is one couple you will loathe (even though it rather delights me and is finally giving me the chance to do something I've wanted to try for a while). I'll leave your name off and will simultaneously post a fic for an alternative couple that you can pretend is the only version. ^^; Probably a vomit-inducing pairing for other readers as well, but this guy has gotten pretty fun for me to write, and he needs some love too, dang it! XD


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